Hooked

Sea of Destiny #1

by K.C. Falls

Morgan Wolf is a complicated man living an uncomplicated life on a mega yacht he doesn’t own. He lets women believe what they think they see. It’s easier that way. No woman would want the truth he’s never shared.

Lara Lamb is sailing away from what she thought she wanted. Because she wanted the wrong things and always for the wrong reason.

Lara sees Morgan for what he is: a rich, shallow Peter Pan who happens to have a cute monkey. Trouble is she’s only right about the monkey.

She’s everything Morgan never wanted. She makes the easy way look like the coward’s way. Ready to take the chance, Morgan struggles with how to let Lara closer than anyone’s ever been. Will his unspeakable wounds be too deep for her to bear?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Fiction, Adult

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 27, 2013

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Hooked" I was not. This was a freebie on Amazon and the ratings were high enough that I thought I would give it a chance. I'm very disappointed how this turned out. The first half of the book, I just absolutely disliked Morgan. He was cocky, pushy, and actually came off as creepy and not sexy at all. Lara is trying to start over as a chef and break this cycle of bad decisions she makes when it comes to men. I didn't realize she was so young in the book until the author mentioned her age. That explains her immaturity at times. There were a few things that bothered me about this book. For one, some things were described in detail that I did not want to read about. For example, when Lara comes across Morgan in the middle of the night, naked, raiding the fridge..,I had no desire to read that she could see his a**hole as he was squatting in front of the fridge. Not an image I want in my head. Or the very detailed three-way Morgan was having. All of that made me not like him. And who inspects a sound in the kitchen in the middle of the night in nothing but a sheer camisole and thong? This was like someone's fantasy. Another thing that bothered me was Lara's conversations with Rachel. When she was messaging back and forth, it was all text talk. I felt like these girls were 14. I didn't recognize half of the abbreviations and these girls were on their computer, not texting. I needed to google the abbreviations so I could make sense of the conversation. And then Lara sends Rachel an email about 30 pages long describing everything Morgan as done to her. For a girl who is trying to be smart about guys, she sure isn't putting up a fight. She's already let him fool around with her twice, and had sex all in less than 2 weeks and after his three-way. I would've been asking him to get himself checked for std's before touching that situation. These characters were poorly developed, the plot really underwhelming, and it left me feeling "icky." I just wasn't impressed.

[Patrick Shelly Jr · Rating 2 out of 5]

So tired of the cliffhanger three book series fad. This book started what seems to be another log on the 'let's make you pay for three short books instead of one good one' fore. Ugh..

As for the story, I found Morgan to be a rude moron, who doesn't care too much about anything. The female lead Lara is a simple 'I need to stop falling for the wrong guys... Oh look, another wrong guy!' type. I found them both to be annoying. The switching back and forth of the viewpoint gets boring after a while, and interferes with the flow of the story.

*Note - i got this as a freebie on Amazon. It is listed as 'Sea of Destiny' Book 1, but here it is 'Wet #1'

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/23/2017)! 💝

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was left hanging and that was not expected or appreciate. There were hidden depths here for both Lara and Morgan. The yacht becomes the playground that neither of them expect. When fishing becomes so much more. Being a cook on a luxury vassals allows for you to see more than you ever dreamed of.

[Debra Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finished Reading February 25, 2014

2.5 Stars
Slow paced
Various problems with this one.
Unnecessary cliffhanger. If so much unneeded and unwanted words that slowed the story down to a crawl hadn't been used, this could have easily been 1 book. Two at most.
I didn't understand the attraction to the H at all. He was an ass through most of the book. And not in an Alpha Man way. More like a spoiled playboy brat who would probably have MANY STD's.
Some editing errors.
Adult sex scenes, yes. Eventually.

I was curious about the next book but not enough to actually go there. So I did not continue with this series.

Purchased Amazon February 21, 2014

[Kitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book overall, but there were times when the story felt like it started to drag.

Some of the dialogue in this did nothing to move the plot forward, and I wondered if it was going to be of some use later on. It turned out, it wasn't.

The letters to Lara's roommate Rachel were confusing, and I wasn't really sure why they were included in the storyline. We already knew most of what she was writing or the general gist of it by her interactions with Wolf. It seemed repetitive and after the first one I started to skip over them.

What really threw me for a loop was when she revealed the big moment to Rachel in a letter instead of letting us read about the interaction firsthand. I had to admit, I felt a little cheated. I'd read through the majority of the book waiting for this moment, only to have to read a second-hand version in a letter to her friend. It seemed to me that some of the useless conversations with Richard or letters to Rachel could have been taken out to advance the plot between the two main characters. They were, after all, the only ones I was really invested in.

The scene towards the end with the Wolf and the Blue Marlin was the best scene in the entire book. This was the one that really brought his character to life for me, and allowed me to visualize him clearly in all of his glory.

[Liala ~ The Goddess of Books ~ Starr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this rating because of the way the book flowed through the story. I noticed the both Lara and Morgan have some sort of issues that they have to work through. The story takes place on a yacht, so it is a very slow moving story.

Your able to find out bits and pieces of Morgan's story, but you really don't have a complete picture by the time the incident takes place.

I didn't really care for this story, just because the only feeling that it invoked in me was boredom. I hate to be so critical, because the next book in this series may be great, but this story just didn't capture me the way that I would have liked.

[LadyCalico · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generally, I found the characters of this book to be crass, shallow, and unlikeable. The synopsis made them sound more interesting than actually proved to be the case; they were just kind of weird and icky. Imagine a too dumb to live bimbo, her first night with a bunch of strange men on a yacht, going to see who's in her kitchen while wearing only skimpy undies--how can you salvage a character as dumb and gross as that? The ending was just meh, which is fine since I couldn't care what happened to them. I gave the book an extra star for the monkey.

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What made the experience of listening to Hooked: By the Broken Billionaire the most enjoyable?
It was reality mixed with fantasy and also Kai and Wen are amazing narrators.

What other book might you compare Hooked: By the Broken Billionaire to and why?
I wouldn't really compare it to other books because every book is unique in its own way. Yes they may be in the same genre, but they have their own stories to tell and none are the same.

What does Wen Ross and Kai Kennicott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
The turn a black and white world into a full HD Technicolor world.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
If it wasn't for the fact that I was at work I would have listened to the story all in 1 setting.

Any additional comments?
As always Kai and Wen gave a wonderful performance. They turn a great story into an amazing story where the sounds of their voices take you into a wonderful new world. Lara and Morgan are sweet and sassy together and their voices really show this. K. C. Falls wrote a lovely story explaining how much life can suck at different spots but it gets better as long as you don't just give in to it all. I can't wait to dive into Wrecked and continue their love dance.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get why the reviews are all over the place on this book mainly because this isn't a fast crazy instant sex fest. This is a slow burn read that allows the lead characters time to deal with their own insecurities and craziness. He is dark and brooding with an extremely dark past. Although chased as a gazillionaire playboy that really isn't true. She is hired as the chef on his yacht and is totally screwed up in her own right and the crazy in her head is what stereotypes are made from. I loved getting to know these two and dealing with their own insecurities. This isn't a standalone and while no great big cliffhanger the story does continue in book two right where book one ends.

[Lidia Riva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devo dire che ho trovato la storia di Morgan Wolf non scontata, tratta anche se forse in modo blando una importante tematica. Ovviamente lui è un super figo e la gente pensa che abbia tutto dalla vita. Incontra suo malgrado Lara Lamb, assunta dal comandante del suo yotch, come chef. Lei è completamente diversa dalle altre donne e scatena in lui sensazioni che non ha mai provato. Peccato che il finale sia in poco frettoloso, comunque nel l’insieme un libro piacevole.

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 1 out of 5]

L’orrenda traduzione lo penalizza, ma anche l’originale non mi pare brilli. Lei sale su una nave come chef, ma vuole dimostrare di non essere un’ignorante. Lui ama l’arte e la marpiona subito, convinto di avere fascino come pochi. Che tristezza. Mancano ironia, passione, aspettative. Nonostante lo abbia scaricato gratis non posso che bocciarlo.

[Aina Sensi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lettura estiva godibile. Personaggi piacevoli e di spessore.
Il finale sembra affrettato ma è di certo dovuto al fatto che ci sia un seguito.
Peccato x la traduzione pessima: credo che leggerò il prossimo in lingua originale.

[maria a vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fuerte!!!

Me gusto el libro!!!!!Interesante que un muchacho tan bello y al parecer rico no tiene nada porque no es feliz!!!!Hasta que una muchacha sencilla lo cambia todo, ya que es muy culta!!! Cree estar enamorado vamos a ver que pasa!!!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a promising start with good character development and suitably difficult backstory and a reasonably good build but everything from the moment they first kissed to the end felt very rushed. It's like 1/3 of a novel with a short story ending.

[Tracey Tranter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second read by K.C. Falls.
Loved the character and relationship building. This story had a little bit of everything I enjoy in a good book; strong male AND female leads, witty dialogue, humour, drama, romance and, of course hotness!!
Can’t wait for the next one

[Lu-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA

[Lesley Badham · Rating 3 out of 5]

It starts of slow and takes time to go anywhere. Contemporary romance with a nice dose of steamy.

[Laurie Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this book, wasn't prepared for a cliffhanger or I might have skipped it. The characters are complicated but oh so human.

[Kerrie Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome

Scintillating tale that keep me engaged from beginning to end. Fun, intriguing character and great use of language. Well done

[Jamie Shepperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the one.

The story is compelling. The plot moves along well. It kept me interested to the end, and peaked my curiosity for the second book.

[B at Spare Time Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I was approached to review this book. I was so absorbed into the story. Lara was a character I think we can all relate to. She is a chef who left her job at a restaurant because her boss was an ass. She took a job on a yacht, which is completely not what she expected to do. But, she needed something different to lift her spirits. It started of ok, Morgan her boss, was a bit cold. She however felt something toward him. Lara falls into her routine of cooking for a ship and a boss who is insanely picky, in a healthy way. She gets along great with the captain, Richard. Things between Lara and Morgan heat up. They have a couple hot encounters. Some that involved Morgan and a couple ladies. Lara knows Morgan is a rich player who gets what he wants but, she isn’t going to just hand anything over. Can she figure out her new boss? Will she fall for him?

My favorite character was Mrs. D. I totally want a pet monkey! She was awesome!! The way she was with Morgan was sweet. We get both POV’s in the book, Lara and Morgan. So we get to know both of them. Morgan hasn’t had a particularly easy life. He has his demons to deal with. He doesn’t open up about them to anyone. Lara however, is getting close to breaking his cold exterior.

These two are pretty hot as a couple, so much sexual tension. I don’t’ know how they survived each other honestly. Hot and cold explains it pretty well. Things get kind of awkward after one of their encounters and then some pretty serious things happen. Lives are changed and secrets slip.

Will these two have a future beyond secret rendezvous? You’ll have to read it! I am so excited to get my hands on the sequel. I read this one in about 2 days. After the dangerous and life threatening events of the first one, I need to know what’s going to happen for these two!

[Krow · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all that there were a reasonable amount of pages (291), it didn't feel like the characters developed much personality along the way. It might be just it's the first book in the series and the author is laying the ground work, but as it was I found it difficult to care about any of them. Except maybe the monkey. To complete the feeling of disappointment was also that the story just stopped. Not a cliffhanger exactly, it almost felt like a printer running out of ink. It didn't make any sense to end it there in that way, and it certainly didn't leave me looking forward to the next book.

What did strike me was the secondary foundation of a brother and sister that grow up with a mother that is mentally ill. An insanity that steals their childhoods and subjects them to torturous, unnecessary medical care and the trauma of hiding, being unable to trust anyone, and waiting for that parent to completely crack. who do these kids grow up to be? What drives them in their adult lives? How do they get past being broken and find their adult selves? I don't know how much the author will explore and expand on this line, but it is the one thing that might make me come back for #2.

Panty Scale: 2


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[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lara Lamb is miserable at her job as a line cook at one of Miami's top restaurants. In addition to being verbally abused by her boss, she has gone and fallen in love with him. Being a huge disappointment to her academic parents for not following in their footsteps, Lara leaves her job to become head chef aboard a yacht. Once away from her former boss, Lara realizes that she is seriously pathetic when it comes to men. Her last two loves, if she can even call them that were awful. The first one pretty much raped her, but she stayed with him anyway, and the second was equivalent to sleeping with a lukewarm fish.
Morgan Wolf is the owner of the yacht that Lara now works on. The hot, make your mouth water kind of hot. The kind of hot that Lara knows to stay away from, but is of course, drawn to him, anyway. Morgan is an unforgivable playboy, but Lara doesn't care.
But Morgan is not without his inner demons.
I have to say, the reviews for this book weren't favorable, but it was free. I actually kind of liked it, but since it was the first book in a series, it was kind of lacking in a lot of ways. Still not sure if I want to read the second or third book. There was nothing in the first one that made me want to read further. Maybe if I'm bored enough.

[Bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but just as a diversion.

This book could have been so much better. it wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. It was okay.

In the hands of a more experienced writer, Morgan's demons might have been compelling, but the pedestrian writing here merely made them seem weak and whiny. I wanted to feel the guy's pain, but it wasn't very compelling. I am a distrusting soul, but our heroine's fears seem small and contrived.

Sadly, there is a lot of potential in this story, these circumstances, and the characters here. Unfortunately, it would take a better, more inventive, creative writer to bring that potential to fruition.

This book is okay if you get it for free, if you don't mind having to wade through mundane writing and mediocre plotting in search of a HEA that is going to take several books to get to.


I will say that all the punctuation seems to be correct, the words all correctly spelled if occasionally misused, and plot moves fairly logically, albeit too quickly. Love in a week? No, dears, that is called infatuation.

[MiniMe · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's nothing like the word billionaire in the title to lure me like a siren song. It's my dirty little pleasure to read contemporary romances with a rich, handsome, leading man. Maybe it's conditioning from multiple viewings of Pretty Woman. Anyway, this isn't Pretty Woman. The billionaire isn't a billionaire, but the son of one. He (Morgan) has demons (of course) and an impossible to please father. Morgan's home is El Lobo, a luxury yacht owned by his dad, with a crew of something like 16, including a newly hired chef. The chef (Lara) becomes his lover and eventually his nursemaid after he is injured in a fishing accident. Then...CLIFFHANGER@#*! It's a soft-landing cliffhanger, but still it's clear their story is just beginning. Will I watch for subsequent books in this series? Probably not. Not because they wouldn't be worth reading, rather, because I hate being strung along and I loathe cliffhangers.

[Maria Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had already downloaded this book a while back and was wandering my 'to read' books and came across it again.

This IS worth reading. I say that because I was checking out reviews and it was a review that said NOT to read it and gave the reasons why that made me decide to read it there and then! :) It may not be the perfect book but it was an easy read and had a plot that I could follow, well-written characters that make you want to follow the series to find out more about them. Morgan particularly has a tough back story that makes you want to follow his development.

This is just to say that maybe that old saying that any publicity is good publicity actually has a point - I read this because of a bad review and I'm glad I did.

[JoAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sea of Destiny #1
I got this book for free but it's currently $2.99 on amazon. Lara is a chef in a trendy restaurant but she doesn't like the way she is treated. She has also had bad luck with men. So she applies to get a job on a yacht. She is hired by Richard, the captain, but is hot for the owner, Morgan. He notices her watching him with two ladies in the hot tub. He says something to her and kisses her. She pushes him away and calls him on his BS. Morgan decides to change his life and woo her. Will he get her?

I liked this story. Lara is a cool woman. But I know that she doesn't know what she is getting into with Morgan.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful contemporary romance with a nice dose of steamy. Lara is a young, petite chef who has had her share of train wrecks with men. Morgan is an older man, who has his own baggage, but no one knows about it. Add in Mrs Dalloway who show's Morgan's tender side and it makes for an entertaining story. Of course the setting is beautiful, South Florida, Paradise Island, and the boat - just a little 200 foot 'yacht'. I can't wait to read more of Lara and Morgan's story.

This is a wonderful quick read, and being in this cold nasty winter weather, it was a great escape